Gas tank alarm



E. S. JOHNSON GAS TANK ALARM June 11, 1935.

Original Filed Feb. 9, 1952 Z'JardMnion.

Patented June 11, 1935 I UNITED}, STATES GAS TANK ALARM Edward S. Johnson, Seven Mile, Ohio Application February 9, 1932, Serial No. 591,891

Renewed November 16, 1934 1 Claim.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in gas tank alarms.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an alarm attachment for the gas tank of an automobile that is associated with the cap of the gas tank and the automobile horn or other signal device and operative to sound an alarm upon removal of the gas tank cap to give warning of unauthorized removal of the cap and to prevent theft of gasoline from the tank.

A further object of the invention is to provide a gas tank alarm of the foregoing character wherein the alarm mechanism may be associated with a gas tank cap of either the spring lock or screw type for the sounding of an alarm upon unauthorized removal of the gas tank cap.

With the above and other objects in view that will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the. same consists in the novel forms, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawing and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan View of the gas tank provided with a spring closure cap and showing a part of the alarm operating means attached to the cap;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view with the tank cap removed to show the connection between the cap and alarm operating means;

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional viewtaken on line 33 of Figure 1, showing a conduit between the gas tank and tank cover for housing a pull cord for the alarm mechanism that is attached to the closure cap;

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view of the alarm mechanisms;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary top plan view with the tankcap removed showing a screw type of tank filler neck; and

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on line li6 of Figure 5, showing the screw cap and alarm devices associated therewith.

Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawing, and particularly to Figures 1 to 4, the

7 reference numeral i9 designates the gas tank of an automobileprovided with a filling opening surrounded by an upstanding neck II, inwardly flanged as at i2 and with diametrically opposite slots :3 in the flange to receive the ends of a spring arm I4 centrally connected as at IE to the lower face of the closure cap I6. The lower face of the closure cap is provided with an annular groove having a calk or other filling, I! that is form a tight seal when the cap I6 is rotated to displace the ends of the spring arm i4 out of registration with the flanged notches I3. 7

The tank i3 has a cover wall I8 spaced therefrom and said cover wall is provided with a relatively large opening !9 overlying the filler neck I I to permit the mounting of the closure cap upon the neck vof the tank.

The alarm mechanism as illustrated in Figure 4 comprises the automobile horn 20 having circuit wire connections 2| and 22 with the end terminals of the battery 23, a manually operable switch 24 being set in the wire 2| while an automatically operated switch 25 is set into the wire 22.

The free swinging end of the automatically operated switch arm 25 has one end of a pull cord 26 attached thereto, said switch arm.25 being tensioned and normally inoperatively positioned, the pull cord 26 extending through a tubular conduit '21 that is located between the gas tank I0 and cover I8 to be hidden from View and terminating adjacent the tank neck I I as shown in Figures 1 and 3. A pin 28 depending from the peripheral edge of the tank cap I6 has the adjacent end of the pull cord 26 extend ing outwardly of the conduit 21 attached thereto as at 29, the tank cover I8 having an arcuate cut away portion 30 in the edge of the opening I9 to accommodate movement of the pin 28 as will at once be understood from an inspection of Figures 2 and 3 of the drawing.

When the tank cap I6 is in closed position 7 upon the filler neck I I, the pin 28 is disposed adjacent the end of the conduit 21 with the automatic switch 25 spaced from its contact. Upon rotation of the cap IE to disengage the same from the tank neck I I, a pull is exerted upon the that the tank cap may be removed for such pur- I poses as re-filling the tank Without sounding an alarm.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, a screw, type tank cap is shown, the neck Ila being externally threaded to receive the internally threaded depending annular flange Ma, carried by the" closure cap Ida. The end 29a of the pull cord extending through the conduit is attached to a supporting arm 3| secured at one end as at 32 to a block depending from the tank cover I8 while the pin 28a depending from the cap l6a successively engages the free end of the spring arm 3| during unscrewing operation thereof for removalso that an alarm is intermittently sounded.

While there are herein shown and described the preferred embodiments of the invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changesmay be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

A gas tank alarm comprising a gas tank and a rotatable closure cap, an electric alarm and control switch therefor, pull cord operating uate recess in the edge wall of the cover wall opening providing clearance for movement of the pin carried by the closure cap.

EDWARD s. JOHNSON. 

